In this intimate talk filmed at TED’s offices, energy theorist Amory Lovins lays out the steps we must take to end the world’s dependence on oil (before we run out). Some changes are already happening — like lighter-weight cars and smarter trucks — but some require a bigger vision. Video from ted.com via YouTube.

“Oil Smoke & Mirrors” offers a sobering critique of our perceived recent history, of our present global circumstances, and of our shared future in light of imminent, under-reported and mis-represented energy production constraints.

Through a series of impressively candid, informed and articulate interviews, this film argues that the bizzare events surrounding the 9/11 attacks, and the equally bizzare prosecution of the so-called “war on terror”, can be more credibly understood in the wider context of an imminent and critical divergence between available global oil aupply and and global oil demand.

The picture “Oil, Smoke & Mirrors” paints is one of a tragically hyper-mediated global-political culture, which, for whatever reason, demonstrably disassociates itself from the values it claims to represent.

While the ideas presented in this film can at first seem daunting, it’s ultimate assertion is that these challenges can indeed be met and surpassed, if, but only if, we can find the courage to perceive them.

“Oil, Smoke & Mirrors” is an independent production. The producer has neither association with, nor membership of, any political organisation.

Visit the website to purchase a copy of the DVD or send the producers of this film a donation, to help support future productions of this calibre. Video from YouTube.

One of my favourite versions of the tune, from Rodrigo y Gabriela…

Above: Eva Cassidy performs “Somewhere over the rainbow” via YouTube…
Below: This wonderful woman died at 33 years of age. What a waste…

From a German TV concert (Ohne Filter) in the 1990s, via YouTube of course…

NSW Retirees Starving for Power

A retirees lobby group says it fears pensioners in western New South Wales will cut back on essentials such as food and medication in order (to) afford for the rising cost of electricity.

The Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal is recommending that the price of electricity is increased by 16 per cent starting this July.

The Combined Pensioner and Superannuants Association of New South Wales says rebates are not enough to relieve the pressure on regional customers, who are charged  more due to the higher costs of infrastructure outside the city.

The Association’s spokesman, Antoine Mangion, says many low income households are  unable to cut their costs because they do not have the capacity to reduce their usage.

“One thing we do no, a lot of pensioners fear what might happen, the repercussions of not paying their bills,” he said.

“So they will often pay their electricity bill for example, and go without other essentials such as reduce food or even medications in some instances.

“So unfortunately these have very major repercussions in many instances.”

He says the available concessions will only rise by $10 a year, but the rebates should be indexed to electricity prices.

“We’ve been calling for IPART to set and review energy and other concessions and rebates provided to pensioners and other households.

“We believe that this would create a fairer system which takes out the politics that’s often involved in concessions and rebates and would create a fairer and more sustainable concession system.”

Exxon awarded CEO total pay of $34.9 million in 2011

Exxon Mobil Corp’s chief executive earned 20 percent more in 2011 than the year before, and the company said it saw no reason to change its pay practices, as had been urged by some investors. Chief Executive Rex Tillerson received $34.9 million in total compensation, up from $29 million in 2010, Exxon said in a proxy statement filed with regulators on Thursday.

The CEO of U.S. rival Chevron Corp, John Watson, collected a total of $24.7 million in 2011, his second year in the job. That was a 52 percent increase from $16.3 million in 2010, according to Chevron’s proxy, also out on Thursday. Tillerson’s pay package included stock awards valued at $17.9 million and bonus and salary totaling $6.8 million. Watson received $5.6 million in salary and non-equity incentives, and the rest in stock, options, pension and deferred compensation.

Exxon’s board of directors bases its compensation decisions on long-term financial targets, among other factors. Last year, proxy firm ISS criticised Exxon’s compensation practices, and argued that the company’s shareholder returns did not justify executives’ pay packages. Returns, ISS said, were inflated by higher crude oil prices.

In this latest proxy statement, Exxon said that it had spoken with a number of shareholders about its compensation practices following a non-binding “say on pay” proposal that won approval with 67 percent of shareholder votes.

“We believe that applying a short-term, formula-based approach to ExxonMobil’s compensation program would undermine the uniquely long-term requirements of our proven business strategy,” the company said in the filing, with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

In this year’s proxy statement, Exxon used a chart to illustrate that its shareholder returns had outperformed those of its peers and the Standard & Poor’s 500 over a 20-year period.

Exxon said its conversations with shareholders included consideration of the use of formula-based pay tied to shorter-term metrics such as one- and three-year total shareholder returns, a practice that ISS urged the oil company to adopt.

Shareholder proposals on the proxy related to hydraulic fracturing, greenhouse gas emissions and splitting the job of chairman and chief executive. The annual meetings of both Exxon and Chevron are scheduled for May 30. Both companies will face votes on resolutions related to the oil and gas production practice of hydraulic fracturing. Similar resolutions last year won support from 28 percent of Exxon shareholders and 40 percent of Chevron’s shareholders.

From Reuters

Michael Klare – full talk

Michael T. Klare addresses the Carnegie Council on the subject of his new book: The Race for What’s Left: The Global Scramble for the World’s Last Resources. The talk is around 30 minutes long, with a further 30 minute Q&A period. A transcript is available here. The following copy is from the Carnegie Council website:

“While most of us take it for granted that we will always have water to drink, gasoline to fill up our tanks, and food on the table, Professor Klare argues that these cornerstones of our existence may soon slip away, especially as populations grow and needs multiply. Where once we lived in a world of vast deposits of oil, copper, gold, natural gas, and other key minerals to fulfill the needs of an industrialized world, he posits that today we are looking at a situation where reserves are being depleted at a terrifying pace.

“Our guest writes about the sudden emergence of rapacious new consumers, the devastating effects of climate change, the technical and environmental limitations on the exploitation of new reserves, and the questionable methods required for acquiring these resources.

“He also talks about what happens when governments are presented with an unprecedented shortage of resources and what they may be driven to do in order to gain control over the remains of the world’s raw material base, wherever it can be found, at whatever the cost.

“In writing about these issues, Professor Klare brings to our attention questionable methods required for acquiring these resources, as illustrated by the competitive race for oil and gas deposits taking place in Arctic waters, or offshore drilling, which can result in environmental risks, as we recently saw with the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.”

Alex Wise from Sea Change Radio interviews author, economic analyst, scientist and futurist Chris Martenson on the economy, constantly rising oil prices and the danger of ignoring the realities of peak oil. From Sea Change Radio in California, USA.